Fatal Desire

Chapter 145 What if I said, I like you?
Gu Beixiao laughed out loud, "So what do you think of me?"

"I'm sorry, I have no plans to get married."

The red wine in the glass reflected a dark red luster under the light. Song Xi's fingertips slowly traced the rim of the glass as she spoke clearly:
"For me, marriage and having children are not a fixed part of life. If the other person is not someone I really like, I might as well not go through with it."

Gu Beixiao's smile remained unchanged: "So, I've been clearly rejected?"

“There are countless socialites in Kyoto who want to marry Mr. Gu.” Song Xi smiled, her jade earrings swaying gently as she tilted her head. “There are also many who are better off than me.”

Gu Beixiao: "But what if I said, 'I like you'?"

Song Xi was taken aback for a second, not expecting this young uncle from the Gu family to be so straightforward.

A faint smile played on her lips: "Just because you like me doesn't mean I have to accept you?"

Gu Beixiao crossed his long legs, his fingers interlaced on his knees. Hearing this, the smile on his lips deepened: "You never doubt your own charm."

The red wine in the crystal glass rippled, and Song Xi took a small sip, letting the rich aroma of the wine spread between her lips and teeth.

“We’ve met a few times before, I wonder if you remember us?” Gu Beixiao suddenly mentioned.

Song Xi nodded: "I remember."

Like a little tail, she followed Zhao Yansen to almost every place of fame and fortune.

Gu Beixiao: "When we first met, you were sixteen or seventeen years old. You were skating on the frozen lake, you fell down but got up again and continued skating without saying a word. Everyone who saw you felt pain, but you didn't cry or shout. But later, when Mr. Zhao appeared, you looked at him with a sad face and teary eyes."

Gu Beixiao initially found this girl quite interesting; her mood changed faster than turning the pages of a book, and tears would come out of nowhere.

After getting to know her better, I discovered that the Zhao family's little princess was not only interesting, but also possessed an indescribable tenacity and rationality.

He is a mature and steady person, often described by Qin Fanghao as being like a daddy. He has met many princesses in the industry, but while they may have the qualities of a princess, they lack the demeanor and inner qualities of one.

In matters of the heart, Gu Beixiao seeks spiritual resonance, but his cultivation is extremely high, so very few people can catch his eye.

It was rare for him to show interest in a young girl on several occasions.

Song Xi understood Gu Beixiao's meaning, but her expression didn't change much.

“We’re not going to settle when it comes to relationships, so why don’t we get to know each other?” Gu Beixiao said calmly. “Don’t rush to reject me. If we go on three dates and you’re still not interested, I’ll tell Mrs. Zhao that we don’t get along.”

When it came to his aunt, Song Xi hesitated for a moment before saying, "I'll think about it."

The meal went well; Gu Beixiao was polite and occasionally brought up new topics, preventing the atmosphere from becoming awkward.

A mature, steady, gentle, and considerate man is usually irresistible, but Song Xi was distracted.

Gu Beixiao couldn't control her feelings and didn't bring up any new topics.

After finishing their meal, Song Xi stood up, intending to leave the restaurant with Gu Beixiao.

Unexpectedly, they bumped into a man walking towards them. He was dressed in a well-tailored bespoke suit, the black suit accentuating his sharp shoulders, tall and slender figure, and his cold aura was particularly intimidating.

Caught off guard by Zhao Yansen, Song Xi's pupils contracted slightly, and her heart sank sharply.

Gu Beixiao noticed Song Xi's subtle reaction and greeted Zhao Yansen without changing his expression:

"Mr. Zhao."

"Director Gu." Zhao Yansen's cold gaze swept over Gu Beixiao, then landed on Song Xi, his voice softening slightly: "Are you full?"

"Brother." Song Xi tightened her grip on the bag in her hand.

Zhao Yansen reached out and grabbed her slender wrist, pulling her to his side without giving her a chance to resist. "Eat your fill and come home with me."

Gu Beixiao coughed lightly, about to speak, when Zhao Yansen casually raised his eyelids: "Director Gu, if your throat is uncomfortable, stay away from Xixi. She's not in good health and is easily infected."

Song Xi shook off Zhao Yansen's hand and, forcing herself to remain calm, said to Gu Beixiao, "Sorry, I have to go now."

After saying that, she turned and left, her steps seemingly ordinary, but actually a little faster than usual.

Since returning from Paris, she has been in a state of turmoil, especially when facing Zhao Yansen.

Step out of the restaurant.

On the bluestone path, Song Xi's high heels clicked rapidly. Moonlight filtered through the old locust trees on both sides of the alley, casting dappled shadows behind her.

She quickened her pace, but the man who caught up with her grabbed her wrist and pulled her back.

"Why run?"

"Let go." Song Xi struggled forcefully, trying to pull her hand out of Zhao Yansen's grasp, but to no avail.

That familiar feeling of helplessness surged up again, and her eyes instantly reddened. Her voice trembled with suppressed emotion: "Brother, can you please stop? I don't want to go abroad again... I don't want to be away from Auntie for another four years."

"What do you mean 'don't do this'?" Zhao Yansen's heart clenched, his eyes sharp as he stared at her. "Song Xi, you don't believe me?"

Song Xi took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down, but her voice still betrayed a sob: "It's not that I don't believe you... I just can't completely trust you. I'm trying, but you won't even give me this little bit of time."

"You don't believe me, but you believe Gu Beixiao?" Zhao Yansen frowned, his voice filled with suppressed anger.

“This has nothing to do with Gu Beixiao!” Song Xi suddenly looked up, a sharp pain flashing in her eyes.

"You refused to believe in my feelings for you back then, so why do you expect me to trust you unconditionally now?" Her voice trembled, but her words were clear.

Zhao Yansen's dark eyes were cold, yet he could not refute them.

He knew better than anyone that in Song Xi's heart, Song Yunyu would always come before him.

If their relationship were ever discovered, Song Xi would weigh the pros and cons and choose the path that would be most beneficial to Song Yunyu, without needing anyone else to push it.

Then, without hesitation, she abandoned him.

“Song Xi, you do believe me,” Zhao Yansen said in a low, husky voice, “but you never intended to be with me forever.”

She only wanted to be with him briefly, not stay with him forever.

“I never thought about forever, but I still went and provoked you.” Song Xi’s eyes were wet with tears. “But haven’t you already punished me? Brother, you abandoned me when I loved you the most… Isn’t that enough?”

“If you find me annoying, I can never show my face in front of you again.” Song Xi tried her best to calm down. “This isn’t just a fit of pique, it’s for real. Anyway, you’ve been doing just fine without me for the past four years…”

Zhao Yansen suddenly remembered Fu Guanyue's reminder:
Whenever Song Xi is in his presence, she is prone to losing control of her emotions and breaking down.

Zhao Yansen felt a sudden, sharp pain in his heart and interrupted her sharply: "Song Xi!"

"Did I say something wrong?" Song Xi looked directly at him, tears silently streaming down her face. "You love me, but whether I'm there or not makes no difference to you. And me? I love you too, but I can live a good life without you now."